Pterygium excision using 193-nm excimer laser smoothing and topical mitomycin C

A total of 31 eyes with primary pterygium and 24 eyes with recurrent pterygium underwent surgical treatment and were followed for at least 1 year. The surgery involved a conventional bare-sclera technique combined with excimer laser smoothing of the wound bed. Postoperatively, the eyes were medically treated with topical mitomycin C (0.02%) for 4 days and with steroids for several weeks. No recurrence was noted within the 1st year in the primary pterygium group, whereas recurrence was observed in 3/24 eyes that had been treated for recurrent pterygium, equivalent to a recurrence rate of 12.5% in this subgroup. Nine eyes (16.4%) had gained 2 lines or more in visual acuity by 1 year after surgery. Granuloma developed in 3 eyes, and dellen formation was detected in 1 eye after surgery. The combination of surgical management with local mitomycin therapy may be considered to be a safe and effective technique for the removal of pterygium. Although the visual results were good, the role of excimer laser smoothing in the treatment of this disorder needs further investigation.